Gingras Days
July 5 @ 10:00 am - July 6 @ 4:00 pm
The public is invited to celebrate “Gingras Days” July 5 and 6 at state historic sites near Walhalla. The event is free, and all ages are welcome.
The Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site, located just 1.5 miles northeast of Walhalla, features the historic Gingras home and trading post. These are two of the oldest standing structures in the state. Built by prominent fur trader Antoine Blanc Gingras, these buildings offer a rare glimpse into Métis architecture and life along the northern frontier. Indigenous and settler games will be available to play each day.
The Gingras open house also features free guided tours and hands-on history experiences:
• Friday, July 5–Step into the role of early hunters and try your hand at an atlatl, a prehistoric spear-throwing tool, aimed at a simulated bison target.
• Saturday, July 6–Watch sparks fly as Outreach Coordinator Brian Hardy fires up an antique forge to demonstrate traditional blacksmithing techniques once essential to fur trade life.
While in the area be sure to stop by the Walhalla State Historic Site. It is home to the recently reconstructed Kittson cabin. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., explore the history of Norman Kittson and the mid-19th century trading post he established around 1852. The site is located at 201 Martyr Drive in Walhalla.
Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site is located at 12899 105th St NE Walhalla, ND 58282 and the Walhalla State Historic Site located at 201 Martyr Drive, Walhalla, ND, 58282 are managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The grounds of both are open year-round. For more information, contact Brian Hardy, shspembina@nd.gov or 701.825.6840. Find additional programs at history.nd.gov/events.
